Kate Douglass Swims 0.3 Off Of 100 Free American Record, And Won’t Swim It At NCAAs

2023 ACC Swimming and Diving Championships

• Tuesday, February 14 to Saturday, February 18, 2023
• Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
• Defending Champions:
  • Women: Virginia (3x)
  • Men: NC State (results)
• Full Event Schedule
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Streaming
• Day 5 Finals Live Recap
• originally published Feb 18th

During the fifth and final night of competition at the 2023 ACC Championships, University of Virginia’s Kate Douglass finished out her individual schedule breaking her own meet record in the 100-yard free that she set the same morning in prelims. Her time of 45.86 also broke teammate Gretchen Walsh’s ACC Conference record, and was just three tenths off of the American record of 45.56 set by Simone Manuel from Stanford. Douglass is now the 3rd fastest performer all-time in the event, and the third woman ever under the 46 second barrier. 

The 100-free final was half UVA swimmers, with Douglass surging ahead of her teammate Gretchen Walsh who touched in 46.32. Senior Lexi Cuomo touched 6th in 47.72, just ahead of freshman Aimee Canny (48.16).

In her post race interview, Douglass confirmed that she will not be competing in the 100-yard freestyle at NCAAs despite being so close to the American record. Instead she will compete in the 200-yard breaststroke on the final day of competition.

Women’s 100 Freestyle All-Time Performers

1. 1. Simone Manuel – 45.56 (2017)
   2. Erika Brown – 45.83 (2020)
   3. Kate Douglass – 45.86 (2023)
   4. Maggie MacNiel – 46.02 (2021)
   5. Gretchen Walsh – 46.05 (2022)
   6. Mallory Comerford – 46.20 (2018)
   7. Anna Hopkin – 46.20 (2020)
   8. Abbey Weitzel – 46.29 (2014)

Douglass is now 6-for-6 in her events at ACCs: she won the 200 medley relay, the 200 freestyle relay, and the 400 medley relay with her fellow Cavs. Individually she has won the 200 IM, the 100 butterfly, and now the 100 freestyle.